The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-01-26
FREE RARns IN pAKorA.


sunlte A4HtaaD and HOW 20 secure ftatd
Cultivate Tmeims
As We all know, the public land of The
United States is divided into land tracts.
This land is surveyed and plots of the
separate townships are made at the General
Land Office, Washington, and sent to thu
land Office of the particular district in which
the land may be- For instance, the land
office for the DEVILS Lake land district in
North Dakota is at the town of Devils
Lake, on the DEVILS lake extension of the
St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Rail-
road. Here is register, who records
the filings made by the settlers and keeps
track of the disposal of the different lands.
The receiver takes charge Of the moneys
paid for public lands, aud is the authorit,
to whom proof of settlement and compliance
with the land laws must be made to secure
a deed from the government, technically
called proving up He also passes
Judgment on contests made for noncom-
pliance with the requirements of the land
laws. In district Of purely agricultural
land, like that of Devils Lake, there are
three ways in which to secure home. By
taking homestead = " presumption or
tree claim 160 acres is the maximum
amount that can be J" filed on in each
case. Atree claim can be taken at the same
time, but presumption cannot be taken be-
fore homestead is proved up or vice
versa. The presumption and homestead re-
quire residence to secure title. Eight years
is given in which to raise ten acres of trees
ON le0 ae claim, when deed will be
given. Thus it will be seen that ultimately
$50 acres of the public domain can be Sc
cured under the operation of these laws.
Having stated the theoretical rights of our
citizens under present laws, we will show
the way TO apply them in practice. Thus,
IT person, tired of struggling for existence
on the worn and high priced lands of the
East, determines to come West and :. grow
up }" with the country, the first thing to do on
arrival will be to go to the land Office and
get plats Of townships showing the quarter
sections taken or still eligible for entry.
These will cost 81 each. With these he
can proceed to the locality they designate,
and by the aid of the figures on the section
stakes, which he can easily learn to read,
can make his selection. The settlers al
ready on the ground are very anxious to
have neighbors, and will often gratuitously
assist in locating" the intending home
seeker. The selection made, the land
Office is again visited, where the register
will supniv official blanke IN which the
immigrant viii fill out q description Of the
town, range, section and quarter where his
selection may be, and make affidavit of hii
intention to settle on the same. These are
fled with the register, and the sum of $l8
is paid if the applicant decides to make il n
homestead" after which, at the expira-
ton of five years, the government will give
deed, without further expense other thar
50 when " final proof is made. If q pre-.
emption, at proving up $1.25 per acre
will be charged additional. In making en-
try of /" tree claim $14 will be paid
when +" filing is made and like sum ai
the date of final proof. Bearing these facts
IN mind, there is no necessity of requiring
the services Of " land agents or " loea.
tors" and other expenses than those named
are not necessary. The methods Of proce.
dure, both in finding unentered lands and
in g fling on them, are very simple, and
with copy Of the land laws and the pletl
TO be had at the Land Office the settler
can easily make his own selection Sc
Paul Farmer.